SERIES REVIEW – When Barbarians hit Netflix, it was one of the year’s biggest surprises. It was a truly enjoyable series of its kind, only a little rough around the edges, but that didn’t deter fans of Vikings, The Last Kingdom and similar series, as the Germanic historical drama’s popularity soared that the streaming giant gave the second season a free pass.

The great strength of Barbarians season 2 is that the events are much more dynamic and intricate this time. After the recent grounding of character relationships, Barbarians season two introduces deeper alliances and shocks viewers with more shocking betrayals – setting the stage for the season’s dramatic and bloody conclusion.

“Ari” the Barbarian

But before we reach that point, the story picks up a year after the excellent forest battle. The Germanic tribes have forged a loose alliance under the banner of Arminius, nicknamed “Ari” (Laurence Rupp), but there are those who question his rule. Ari is married to Thusnelda (Jeanne Goursaud), and they have a child together. This causes friction with Folkwin (David Schütter), who was originally the lover of Thusnelda.

Meanwhile, the Roman Empire plots revenge after the battle. Tiberius and his son Germanicus rally their forces and try to enlist the help of a tribal leader named Marbod, who becomes an integral part of the story as it progresses.

More professional visuals, better story

I won’t give away much more, but suffice it to say that Barbarians has really come into its own after the previous, slightly more amateurish season, and there is a sense of confidence that runs through every aspect of the production. The battles were already top-notch last season, but this season has managed to go one better. The choreography of the battles is really well done, while the costume design is excellent across the board.

While the visuals are an improvement, what really stands out here is the story. Sure, the Germanic barbarians VS Roman Empire plot thread is still the core of the main story – and in many ways revisited – in this second season, but it’s much more powerful, dramatic and at the same time sophisticated storytelling. The encounters are given much more weight, the dialogue is more nuanced, and there are some genuinely surprising moments.

Fathers and sons

The series is not perfect, however; at times, the pace slows down quite a bit. Many father/son/parent/family themes in the middle of the story are designed to shove down the throats of viewers more interested in the bloody battles of the barbarians, and the chapter on “Fathers” spends a lot of time building relationships. While that would be fine in itself, moments like that don’t really move the characters or the story forward that much because it’s so off the dramaturgy.

Still, this is a minor quibble in an otherwise delightful sequel. If you enjoyed the first season, you will most likely find plenty to like in this sequel. The Barbarians has really come into its own this year, and the 6 episodes are a joy to sit through in one sitting. (I did.) Well-written, bloody and gripping throughout, Barbarians season 2 is highly recommended for all fans of historical and fantasy films and series.

-BadSector-